This invention relates to a sun roof for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a sun roof assembly and seal therefor.
It is important in sun roof constructions that leakage of water into the vehicle is avoided. In prior sun roof constructions various seals and sealing arrangements have been employed with varying degrees of success for this purpose.
In the present invention a sun roof assembly and seal therefor is provided which effectively prevents the leakage of water through the roof in a simple and effective manner and in a manner which is capable of rapid and inexpensive manufacture and installation in the vehicle. In the sun roof incorporating the principles of the invention, a sealing arrangement is provided which not only effectively seals the space between the sun roof cover and the rigid frame of the assembly at all times with a low pressure seal when the cover is closed, but which is also positioned and constructed to spring upwardly to a position to minimize the ingress into the vehicle of any residual water which may be on the roof of the vehicle or the seal itself when the cover is opened. The assembly and seal of the present invention effectively forms a low pressure seal between the cover and a rigid bead on the sun roof frame when the cover is closed and also overlies the roof of the vehicle to prevent ingress of water between the sun roof frame and the roof. The assembly of the present invention also provides a construction for attachment of the vehicle headliner.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a seal for a vehicle sun roof includes a flexible ring shaped member substantially defining the shape and perimeter dimensions of the cover of the sun roof. The flexible ring shaped member includes a base member having upper and bottom walls and a tubular bulb means positioned on the upper wall of the base member and extending substantially continuously around the top of the base member. The bulb means is hollow and includes interior and exterior walls. A substantially continuous groove means in the bottom wall of the base member extends upwardly toward the upper wall of the base member. The groove means is adapted to snugly receive a rigid bead on the sun roof frame when the ring shaped member is installed in the sun roof and this groove means also has substantially the same shape and perimeter dimensions as the cover of the sun roof. The tubular bulb means is sufficiently flexible and positioned relative to the groove means such that when the sun roof cover is closed, the interior wall of the tubular bulb means is compressed against the upper wall of the base member substantially vertically above said groove and the flexible material between the groove means in the upper wall of the base member is compressed in a vertical direction, and when the sun roof cover is opened, the bulb means springs upwardly to a level above the elevation of the vehicle roof in which the sun roof is installed and the upper interior wall of the bulb means and the upper wall of the base member are separated.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the seal just described is positioned in a sun roof assembly, the latter of which includes a substantially continuous ring shaped frame means and at least one substantially continuous bead on the frame means extending upwardly from a horizontal portion of the frame means and snugly into the groove means of the flexible ring shaped member, and has perimeter dimensions substantially the same as the shape and dimensions of the bead such that when the sun roof cover is closed, the flexible generally ring shaped member and the tubular bulb means are compressed vertically between the edge of the sun roof cover and the bead.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily understood upon a consideration of the following detailed description.